


Within

by abyssobrotulaCronos



Category: Free!
Genre: Angst, M/M, did someone ask for a really sad fanfic, probably omegaverse but it's just a brief mention of mpreg, self-indulgent sadfic c:, yea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2014-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-28 19:56:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2745095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abyssobrotulaCronos/pseuds/abyssobrotulaCronos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nitori's life was short, but by no means unworthy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Within

**Author's Note:**

> At 3am I asked myself: "what if i wrote that really sad fanfic in which Nitori is terribly sick?"

Nitori dies when there’s no one around to mourn. It’s late night and everyone in the kingdom sleeps soundly, a peaceful wind blows through his curtains and keeps him awake during the last moments of his life. His lips are dry and pale, but it hurts to even think of moving to get the cup of water on the drawer.

He isn't afraid when he feels consciousness slipping away, it's strange how he’s prepared, although he wishes he could have seen his husband a last time. It’s been so long since he saw Rin that he would barely be able to remember his smell if it weren't for the letters he sends every single week. War times are hard, Nitori knows, but his selfishness tingles and makes him yearn for Rin’s arms around him again, strong hands holding his own and saying _you're as beautiful as ever, everything is going to be alright, I'm here, don't cry._

He also knows life isn't a fairytale. When it’s time, it’s time.

It bothers him that his alpha's sadness will be inevitable. He knows he’ll cry and do something very stupid when he receives the letter informing him his husband is gone. Nitori is worried, the war is almost over and it’d be a few months until the redhead was home again, only a few months until they could reunite, until Nitori could reclaim what was his with all his love.

He can’t stop wanting to live a little longer, to stick around just for a while to see Rin smile again, to cradle the flowers he’ll bring in his arms and kiss him until his lips get numb. Nitori can’t leave the bed anymore and even if he tried he wouldn't be able to stand on his own, so Rin writes him about how he’ll bring the world to their royal room when he gets back, make his lover the happiest man in the world.

Everyone refers to Rin as the king, your majesty, your highness. To Nitori he’s Rin-chan, love, my dear. He’s his best friend, the one who brings him joy just for remembering sending him letters and small flowers for two long years. He reads all of them and answers with the same enthusiasm, calligraphy a bit untidy, but truthful, excited to talk to him even after almost ten years of marriage. And the longing – oh, the empty space that was left in the bed, everywhere in the palace, the way his servants would be filled with joy only knowing Rin was alright on battlefield. It hurts the most, the missing places all over their beautiful kingdom.

As long as his lover didn't do anything stupid, Nitori would be fine. He’d die proud; satisfied with the way he managed to make Rin happy for those years, even though his health didn't make it possible to give him children. Rin was okay with that, too. Nitori felt he’d love to be a father and sometimes blamed himself on it. Rin was always there to make him feel better.

His sickness had always been present. Since they married, Rin knew his king needed special care and made everything within his reach to keep him healthy. Unfortunately, Nitori got worse through the years and the healers told them it couldn't be cured, it was Nitori’s body that was just too weak, all they could do was to slow the process of degeneration. And they did. For six years, Nitori enjoyed his happy, married life with an always present uplifting attitude.

After the sixth year, though, things had gotten terrible. Rin suffered with his husband when he stopped being able to go outside, not even to his beloved garden he was allowed. And the current week had been the hardest. He woke up coughing blood and feeling like his bones were made of glass, going to the bathroom was the worst thing in the world, but for some reason... For some reason he was feeling serene today. He was calm, tender. And he knew why.

Tired, exhausted from breathing, Nitori dies alone in his dark room, the moon caressing his face and the floor. He hopes Rin won’t dwell too much on it, he doesn’t want the person he loves the most in the world to be miserable because of him.

He dreams. Dreams of a man with red hair, a fierce smile and a hand that guides him through a long corridor. He’s in between his favourite flowers and his smile is as beautiful as the day he married said man. His skin is flushed again, not a trace of the thinness in the body lasts anymore, it’s almost like when they first met.

Then his soft respiration evens out.


End file.
